Leisure World Table Tennis Club in California:

A Role Model for Senior Communities

By Lily Yip, USATT Vice President

Olga Kahan, USTTA Senior Committee Co-Chairman, was a wonderful hostess for my visit this past January 18th to the Leisure World Table Tennis Club in beautiful Laguna Woods, California. 

The club is located on El Toro Boulevard in the state-of-the-art Leisure World Community Center. The center is a modern three-story stucco building that says “California” to all the visitors, especially the competitors in the annual Meiklejohn Senior Open the first weekend of June.

It was a perfectly warm and clear day during my visit, unlike New Jersey, where it was cold and gray. When I entered the club, the members gave me a very warm welcome.  I told myself this is the place I would like to retire to.

The club is on the third floor and has great conditions, including good lighting, wood flooring, ten tables, two robots, and plenty of space for each playing court. Through the windows, visitors view the California hills and countryside. I noticed that all the tables and robots seemed to be in constant use.

I enjoyed playing doubles with many of the club members, showed off some of my trick shots and gave some tips. While I was playing the club members stopped and gathered around my table to watch.  Fortunately for me, I did not lose any games.

The Leisure World Table Tennis Club is very active and attracts many residents of the community.  The players are of different skill levels and use a variety of equipment from hard bat to the most advanced sponge racquets. They share a great love and enthusiasm for the sport and benefit from the physical training and the social aspects.

According to Olga and many of the club members, the sport of Table Tennis is very beneficial for their health; it strengthens their hand-eye coordination, helps lower their blood pressure and provides cardiovascular exercise.  It is one of their favorite activities.

My visit to the Leisure World Table Tennis Club was the highlight of my trip to California.